diff --git a/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/RoomListViewModel.tsx b/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/RoomListViewModel.tsx
index 217eaefbd9..4b02c26647 100644
--- a/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/RoomListViewModel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/RoomListViewModel.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ import { useMatrixClientContext } from "../../../contexts/MatrixClientContext";
 import { useStickyRoomList } from "./useStickyRoomList";
 
 export interface RoomListViewState {
+    /**
+     * Whether the list of rooms is being loaded.
+     */
+    isLoadingRooms: boolean;
+
     /**
      * A list of rooms to be displayed in the left panel.
      */
@@ -98,6 +103,7 @@ export interface RoomListViewState {
 export function useRoomListViewModel(): RoomListViewState {
     const matrixClient = useMatrixClientContext();
     const {
+        isLoadingRooms,
         primaryFilters,
         activePrimaryFilter,
         rooms: filteredRooms,
@@ -120,6 +126,7 @@ export function useRoomListViewModel(): RoomListViewState {
     const createRoom = useCallback(() => createRoomFunc(currentSpace), [currentSpace]);
 
     return {
+        isLoadingRooms,
         rooms,
         canCreateRoom,
         createRoom,
diff --git a/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/useFilteredRooms.tsx b/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/useFilteredRooms.tsx
index 4b4b9c0ec8..d8442a9d0b 100644
--- a/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/useFilteredRooms.tsx
+++ b/src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/useFilteredRooms.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export interface PrimaryFilter {
 
 interface FilteredRooms {
     primaryFilters: PrimaryFilter[];
+    isLoadingRooms: boolean;
     rooms: Room[];
     activateSecondaryFilter: (filter: SecondaryFilters) => void;
     activeSecondaryFilter: SecondaryFilters;
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ export function useFilteredRooms(): FilteredRooms {
     );
 
     const [rooms, setRooms] = useState(() => RoomListStoreV3.instance.getSortedRoomsInActiveSpace());
+    const [isLoadingRooms, setIsLoadingRooms] = useState(true);
 
     const updateRoomsFromStore = useCallback((filters: FilterKey[] = []): void => {
         const newRooms = RoomListStoreV3.instance.getSortedRoomsInActiveSpace(filters);
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ export function useFilteredRooms(): FilteredRooms {
     };
 
     useEventEmitter(RoomListStoreV3.instance, LISTS_UPDATE_EVENT, () => {
+        setIsLoadingRooms(false);
         const filters = getAppliedFilters();
         updateRoomsFromStore(filters);
     });
@@ -194,5 +197,12 @@ export function useFilteredRooms(): FilteredRooms {
 
     const activePrimaryFilter = useMemo(() => primaryFilters.find((filter) => filter.active), [primaryFilters]);
 
-    return { primaryFilters, activePrimaryFilter, rooms, activateSecondaryFilter, activeSecondaryFilter };
+    return {
+        isLoadingRooms,
+        primaryFilters,
+        activePrimaryFilter,
+        rooms,
+        activateSecondaryFilter,
+        activeSecondaryFilter,
+    };
 }
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView.tsx
index f4800f7009..069b49adb8 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { useRoomListViewModel } from "../../../viewmodels/roomlist/RoomListViewM
 import { RoomList } from "./RoomList";
 import { EmptyRoomList } from "./EmptyRoomList";
 import { RoomListPrimaryFilters } from "./RoomListPrimaryFilters";
+import Spinner from "../../elements/Spinner";
 
 /**
  * Host the room list and the (future) room filters
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ export function RoomListView(): JSX.Element {
     return (
         <>
             <RoomListPrimaryFilters vm={vm} />
-            {isRoomListEmpty ? <EmptyRoomList vm={vm} /> : <RoomList vm={vm} />}
+            {vm.isLoadingRooms ? <Spinner /> : isRoomListEmpty ? <EmptyRoomList vm={vm} /> : <RoomList vm={vm} />}
         </>
     );
 }
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/EmptyRoomList-test.tsx b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/EmptyRoomList-test.tsx
index b68929f74a..1483797778 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/EmptyRoomList-test.tsx
+++ b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/EmptyRoomList-test.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe("<EmptyRoomList />", () => {
 
     beforeEach(() => {
         vm = {
+            isLoadingRooms: false,
             rooms: [],
             primaryFilters: [],
             activateSecondaryFilter: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({}),
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomList-test.tsx b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomList-test.tsx
index 0d837c3a20..d72a78d36a 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomList-test.tsx
+++ b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomList-test.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ describe("<RoomList />", () => {
         matrixClient = stubClient();
         const rooms = Array.from({ length: 10 }, (_, i) => mkRoom(matrixClient, `room${i}`));
         vm = {
+            isLoadingRooms: false,
             rooms,
             primaryFilters: [],
             activateSecondaryFilter: () => {},
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListPrimaryFilters-test.tsx b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListPrimaryFilters-test.tsx
index 79bfbb6dc0..4a80ea068e 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListPrimaryFilters-test.tsx
+++ b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListPrimaryFilters-test.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe("<RoomListPrimaryFilters />", () => {
 
     beforeEach(() => {
         vm = {
+            isLoadingRooms: false,
             rooms: [],
             canCreateRoom: true,
             createRoom: jest.fn(),
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView-test.tsx b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView-test.tsx
index f56d30976a..e66e430e18 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView-test.tsx
+++ b/test/unit-tests/components/views/rooms/RoomListPanel/RoomListView-test.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ jest.mock("../../../../../../src/components/viewmodels/roomlist/RoomListViewMode
 
 describe("<RoomListView />", () => {
     const defaultValue: RoomListViewState = {
+        isLoadingRooms: false,
         rooms: [],
         primaryFilters: [],
         activateSecondaryFilter: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({}),